Cannibal World - Bugs & Gladiators
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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
The second wave is worse than the first. Some hire mercenaries, some scream as insects invade the camp, some count the remaining meat, thinking of winter. And in the end, no one forgets that game.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
Two new fronts in a world where humanity is already the menu
Bugs & Gladiators brings two modular expansions to Cannibal World that transform the base game. On one side, a market of mercenary gladiators, ruthless fighters who sell their strength to the highest bidder. On the other, a swarm of mutant insects invading the battlefield, bringing chaos, opportunities, and terror. The design trio Rafael Campos, José Molina, and Paloma Pérez add tactical depth and unpredictability to an already extreme universe, with brutal illustrations by Oscar Martin that make every card a punch to the gut.
At the table, you manage action points to play cards, hire elite fighters who turn the tide, and try to exploit the insects before they devour you. The Bugs mode also introduces a solo mini-campaign: hunt insects to gather meat and prepare for the harshest winter. Deck construction, hand management, and resource timing intertwine in fast-paced games where every turn can be your last.
What they say abroad
Add mercenaries or chaos. Or both, if you dare.
— FroGames
The solo campaign turns survival into an obsession.
— FroGames
Cannibal World: Bugs & Gladiators
The Bugs mode includes a dedicated mini-campaign where you hunt insects to gather meat and survive the winter. Simple but effective automa system, the experience is complete and tense. It loses the direct interaction of multiplayer but gains a narrative arc that keeps you glued to the table.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and gameplay sessionsWhat you add to the base game
Mercenaries, insects, and winter survival
Mercenary Gladiators
Elite fighters you can hire from the common market. They cost resources but bring devastating abilities that no base deck can match. Whoever gets them first wins or disappears.
Mutant Insects
An unpredictable swarm that invades the battlefield. They can attack opponents, give you extra actions, or devour everything. Chaos made into cards, but whoever knows how to exploit it wins.
Winter Campaign
A solo mini-campaign where you hunt insects to gather meat. Each scenario is harder than the last, winter is approaching, and resources are never enough. You are alone against the world.
Action Points
Manage action points to play cards, activate abilities, hire mercenaries. Every choice excludes another, every turn is a puzzle of priorities where a mistake costs you the game.
In a few hours, you'll have decided whether the insects were a blessing or a curse. And if that last gladiator was really worth it all.
A five-moment game
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The market opens
Everyone looks at the gladiator cards on the table. Who is worth hiring immediately, who to leave for later. But resources are limited, and someone has already figured out which mercenary will dominate this game. Hands move fast.
First swarm
The insects arrive. A Bugs card is drawn and the table explodes. Someone is attacked, someone gains a bonus action, someone curses the chaos. No one knows if it's better to draw again or stop.
Gladiators change everything
Those who hired the right mercenaries dominate the board. Their special abilities overturn the balances built in the first turns. Those who haven't invested in gladiators desperately try to catch up or use insects as weapons.
Insects everywhere
The swarm is out of control. Someone manages to ride the chaos and use the insects to eliminate an opponent. Someone else is overwhelmed while trying to play it safe. The table shouts, laughs, curses. No one will forget this moment.
The last gladiator
Two players remain, one has a devastating mercenary, the other draws a Bugs card and prays. The one who managed the chaos best wins, not the one who built the perfect deck. Game over. Someone laughs, someone immediately asks for a rematch.
How to play
The flow of each round
Fast turns where every action point counts, the gladiator market empties, and insects complicate everything.
You draw cards up to your hand limit and gain action points for the turn. If you have active gladiators, their passive abilities trigger now.
Spend action points to play cards from your deck, attack opponents, hire gladiators from the common market, or activate special abilities. Each choice excludes the others.
If you play with the Bugs expansion, draw a Bugs card and apply its immediate effect. It can attack everyone, give you bonuses or penalties, or trigger chain effects. Pure managed chaos.
Discard excess cards, resolve end-of-turn effects of gladiators, and pass the turn. Eliminated players leave the game. It restarts until victory.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Shared gladiator market
You don't just build your deck from your basic cards. There's a common market of mercenaries that everyone can hire, but resources are limited. Whoever gets the right gladiators at the right time dominates the game. Those who wait too long are left with scraps.
Insects as a double-edged sword
Insects are not just obstacles. You can exploit them against opponents if you time it right. A Bugs card can eliminate the leader or give you the action you needed. But it can also ruin your perfect plan in a second.
Tactical Action Points
Each turn you have a limited budget of action points. Hiring a gladiator costs a lot, attacking costs little, but each choice excludes the others. You can't do everything, you have to decide what matters most now. And making a mistake costs you the game.
Narrative solo campaign
The Bugs mode includes a dedicated mini-campaign where you hunt insects to survive the winter. Each scenario increases in difficulty, meat is scarce, choices become harder. It's not just an automa, it's a story of survival.
Modular expansions
You can play with Gladiators, with Bugs, or with both. Each combination radically changes the game. Gladiators add control, Bugs add chaos, together they create an unstable balance where nothing is certain.
Emergent asymmetry
The base game is symmetrical, but the hired gladiators and drawn insects create emergent asymmetry. No two games are alike, no two decks are identical. Replayability is very high even with few cards.
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
Brutal conditions where the last one standing wins and those who hesitate too long are eliminated.
Victory
- You are the last player remaining after eliminating all opponents
- In the solo campaign: survive the winter by collecting enough meat from scenarios
- Achieve the specific victory conditions of the scenario (if playing in variant mode)
Elimination
- Your life points drop to zero due to enemy attacks, insect effects, or opposing gladiator abilities
- You fail to play any valid cards for two consecutive turns (deck emptied without resources)
- In the solo campaign: you don't collect enough meat by the end of the scenario
Two expansions that transform Cannibal World into a deeper, more chaotic, and infinitely replayable game. Mercenaries for those who want control, insects for those who love risk, campaign for solo players. Everything works.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ on Cannibal World: Bugs & Gladiators
Is the base game required to play with this expansion?
Yes, Bugs & Gladiators is an expansion and requires the Cannibal World base game to be played. It adds two modular modes (Gladiators and Bugs) and a solo campaign, but it is not standalone.
Can I play with only one of the two expansions or do I have to use both?
They are modular and independent. You can play only with Gladiators, only with Bugs, or with both together. Each combination changes the pace and depth of the game. The solo campaign requires the Bugs expansion.
How does the solo mode work? Is it just an automa or is there a story?
It is a narrative mini-campaign where you hunt insects to collect meat and prepare for winter. Each scenario is a tactical clash with increasing difficulty; it's not just a bot to beat but a progression of survival with choices that matter.
Are gladiators too strong? Do they unbalance the game?
They are strong but cost resources, and everyone has access to the common market. Those who invest in the right gladiators at the right time win, but those who take them too early are left with no actions to defend themselves. The balance works.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. It includes cards and rules in English. Knowledge of the language is necessary to play, as cards have ability texts and solo scenario conditions require reading.
Cannibal World: Bugs & Gladiators is an expansion for the post-apocalyptic card game by Rafael Campos, José Molina, and Paloma Pérez, published by Witty Games. It adds two modular game modes (Gladiators and Bugs) and a solo mini-campaign. It supports 1 to 4 players, ages 14+, games from 15 to 45 minutes. Core mechanics include deck construction, hand management, and action points. Gladiators offer a shared mercenary market, insects bring tactical chaos, and the solo campaign is a narrative survival challenge. Available on FroGames.it.
Cannibal World - Bugs & Gladiators
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